Jar for electric batteries.



'UNITED sTA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

RUPUs N; CPIAMBERLAIN, OP CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOR TOGOULD STORAGEBAT- TRRY COMPANY, Ay CORPORATION OP NRW YORK.

rAR POR lRIaIzcTItIc BATTERIES.

kSpeeicatcm of Letters Patent.

v y Application yfiled. March 31, 1913. i Serial No. 757,954. n

- To all whom/it may concern:

.Y certain new and useful Improvements in Jars forfElectric Batteries,of which thefollowing isa specification.

The main objects of this invention areto provide an improved battery jaror tank especially adapted for railway service,

which shall' be inexpensive to manufacture,`

adapted `for usev in yrelatively large units, being chemically-inert,impervious to-acid, and free from deterioration by wearordisintegration, mechanically very rigidv and slopping andnon-spilling, and constructed and arrangedto readily provide for eitherdeflecting or absorbing all ordinary mechanicalshocks without injury tothe jar; to provide. an yimproved construction whereby an arrangementofbulfers is assembled with each jar in such manner as to protect thesame against injury in handling and in service, and thereby makepractical in the manufacture of such jars the use of .fragile materialssuch as glass, vitreous stoneware,

or, ceramic material, which though strong and impervious to acid areusually extremely Vbrittle and liable to becomeeasily broken; and toprovide a constructionwhich does not require the use of linings,insulation, metallic handles, and other fittings,

andcthereby greatly reduces the number of 4parts which require attentionand repair or are subject to deterioration and replacement. f j

Certain specific constructionsy embodying this invention are illustratedin the accompanyingdrawings,v in which :V

Fig. 2 and the cover beingomitted. Fig. 21 ;is a vertical cross sectionofthe jar along;

the line B-B of Fig. 1, the cover being shown in place and a preferredform Vof. bufferbeing shown on. the sides. Fig. `8 is a top plan of thejar with the cover removed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation show-Ing a portion of the exterior face of.- a jar Patented Mayas, 1916.

with a modified form of bufferand supporting lug therefor. Fig.' 5 is ahorizontal section of the same onthe line C-Cof Fig. 4.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, andk 3, the ybattery jar 1 iscomposedof inexpensive but durable Amaterial of ceramic nature, asvitreous stoneware, porcelain, or f the like, and comprises the bottom2, sides 3, andends 4. The jar may haveY a yplurality of cell spaces 5.In the drawing two kare shown, separated by a partition 6 formedintegrally with the jar, the specific number of cell spaces per jarbeing deterstrong, adaptedto be readily rendered nonmined in anyparticular case byoperating the like. The interior of the rim 7 -may bef groovedby means of a comb7 having suitably formed teeth, said combbeing drawn around the'interior of the rim horizontally to form thegrooveswhen the jar isbeing molded. At the lower edge of the grooved frim ,7, and inwardly disposed withrespect thereto is. formed ahorizontal'perimetric ledge or seat 11 adapted to receive the rim 12ofthe cover 9 thereon for support.

The cover 9may be composed of any suitable. material, as wood, metal,hard rubber,`

glass, orthe like, and is formed to t loosely within the jar rim 7 toprovide space for the sealing compound to' fill inand set between thegrooves 8r and the-rim of the cover. adjacent to the rim 12y is`preferably raised, sov as to ylimit the flow of' sealing material Theinterior portion of the cover substantially to an effective zone'at 'andadjacent to the jar and cover rims.

A- -grip-for hand-le is formed integrally f cabinet (not shown) where itmay be installed for use, or for otherwise moving the jar about. Thishandle is referably located at one end of the jar. reat strength andcapacity are secured by forming the handle entirely across the end ofthe jar and by turning its outer margin 14 downwardly, and providing oneor more vertical web portions 15 formed to bridge the space between thejar wall and the downwardly turned marginal portion kfor bracing and ireinforcing the latter.

` Thel bottom of the jary on the inside is ribbed to lprovidecirculation spaces or pas- Vdinarily two in number, are formedintegrally on the bottom of the jar. These are parallel and are suitablyspaced from each other and from the parallel walls to receive the platestransversely thereon. rThe ribs may be formed either transversely orlongitudinally of the jar or cell space, depending on the size, number,and arrangement of plates to be provided for. The under side of thebottom is also ribbed to correspond substantially in varrangement withthe ribs on the inside, thus serving to further reinforce the jar and tobetter insulate the jar from its support, especially when the eX- teriorof the jar becomes moist with electrolyte or otherwise, the lowersupporting ribs and the insulation hollows 2l ben tween them readilyanswering this purpose.

Buffer means are provided on the outside of the jar for absorbingmechanical shock, for deflecting oblique blows and impacts, andfacilitating sliding the jar safely past ,obstructing bodies.Horizontally outstandtion, or the like, preferably formed as acontinuous perimetric ring or belt adapted toy surround and girdle thejar at a point substantially midway of its height, and to rest upon saidknobs 22 for support.

In the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5 there is illustrated a buffermember 24 of washer-like formation, adapted to lie flat l against theface of the jar and to fit closely about a lug 25 suitably formed on theface of the jar to receive and support the buffer thereon. The buffer 24is formed with inclined or sloping sides 24.1, preferably somewhatconvex, to facilitate deflecting blows and impacts, and is thick enoughto project beyond the outer end of the supporting lug to protect thesame. The lug 25 1s formed free from sharp edges or corners tofacilitate mounting the buffer member and to prevent cutting or tearingthe latter. These lugs 25 and buffer or buffers 24 may be distributed insuitable arrangement onl theeXterior of the jar to afford ampleprotection thereto.

When a cell is to be removed from its place in a railway car, or otherplace where used, it may simply be disconnected -from the circuit andremoved by grasping the handle on the end of the jar and withdrawing thesame. In sliding about among other jars, or other solid objects, the jaris protected from becoming cracked or broken by means of thebuifer orbuffers thereon.

The plates may be rendered accessible for inspection or alteration byfirst removing the sealing material, and then lifting off the cover.When the cell4 is tobe sealed the cover is put in place on the jar ledgeor seat, and melted paraffin or the like is poured into the spacebetween the cover and the grooved portion of the jar rim.

It is to be understood that no effort has been made to separatelyillustrate all forms which the invention may assume, and that numerousdetails of the constructions shown may be altered or omitted withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention as dened by the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. As an article of ceramic manufacture a rectangular battery jar formedintegrally with a plurality of horizontally outstanding lugs spacedapart, in combination with buffer means resting upon the upper sides ofsaid lugs and outwardly overreaching the latter to absorb shock andthereby protect the jar. n

2. As an article of ceramic manufacture, a rectangular battery jarhaving a transversely disposed handle formed integrally across one end,said handle comprising an outstanding body portion adapted to reinforcethe jar and `support the same when raised by the said handle, a iangedepending from the outer part of said body portion and inclined somewhatinwardly to facilitate grasping the handle for drawing the jarhorizontally, and vertical web members including an intermediate webconnecting said flange with the adjacent end Wall to strengthen thehandle substantially as described.

3. As an article of manufacture, a4 battery jar composed of fragilematerial and havgripping the latter and to protect said han- 10 ing onits side an outstanding handle formed dle and Jar.

with a depending flange to facilitate han- Signed at Chicago this 24thday of March, dling the jar, in combination With outstand- 1913.

ing support means on the side of said jar beneath said handle, and abuffer carried RUFUS N' CHAMBERLAIN by said support means in spacedrelation Witnesses: n

from said handle to permit reaching the EUGENE A. RUMMLER,

hand between said buffer and handle for M. IRENE HUTCHINGS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

